Metal-sawing machine.



C. NAPIER.

METAL SAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1908.

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Mw Nm.

W I TNESSES www IN VEN TOR, (d/'Zed' /jzev;

A TTOR NE Y C. NAPIER.

METAL SAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29. 1908.

Patented sept. 28, 1909.`

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2x WINVENTOR, /'/@f JV? W I TNESSES 4 TTOR NE Y.

C. NAPIER.

METAL SAWING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 29, 190s.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3;

Patented Sept, 28, v1909.

WITNESSES:

A TTORNE Y.

, these means being UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE.

CHARLES NAPIER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

METAL-SAWING MACHINE. y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

Application led August 29, 19(18. Serial No. 450,815.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES NAPIER, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented ,certain newand useful Improvements in Metal-Sawing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri tion.

.T lis invention relates to metal-sawing machines, and it has for one of its objects the provision of a mechanism, the general organization of which is similar to the reciprocatory power hack-saw, but which in the present case embodies an endless bandsaw to which a continuously-advancing movement is imparted.

My invention has, furthermore, for its object, the combination with the continuously advancing saw, of a supporting frame therefor which may be raised to'permit work to be placed into the machine, and which may be weighted to bring the saw teeth into engagement with the work under such pressure as may be best adapted to the existing conditions as to the quality ofthe sawblade and the metal-stock to be operated upon.

The invention has, also, for its object the provision of means whereby the band-saw 1s maintained in a taut condition at such portion of its movement where it cuts into the work. t

A further object of invention 'resides in the provision of means whereby the loose or slack portion of the band-saw is supported so asto clear the work at all times, some of preferably driven in a at a speed equal to that of the saw-driving mechanism so that the band may run freely and without liability of buckling.

My invention has, furthermore, for its object the provision of means whereby the power-driving mechanism may be disconnected from the machine so soon as the work of cutting-off has 'been completed.

Further objects of the invention will hereinafter appear and the means of their attainment set forth in the claims.

Tn the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters denote similar parts, Figure 1 is a top view of a metal-sawing machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation on line 2 2, of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section on positive manner' and l(see Fig. 7)

engage the stock to be 'cut in' one port-ion of its run, and will subsequently be held out `of contact therewith so that the stock will be operated upon in one place only. The bandsaw is guided at various points of its travel, and is maintained in taut condition during the operating run of its length in order to produce a straight line cut. In addition to these features the saw-supporting devices are held on a frame which is pivoted so as to permit the operator to raise the saw bodily and clear of the stock to be cut, and on a principle which is common to the ordinary reciprocating power hack-saw in general shop-use,' without, however, disarranging the saw-driving mechanism in any way.

In view of the work to be done by the present machine, the saw is made of a flexible steel band of suiicient depth to carry the load of the frame which constitutes the medium whereby the -saw is fed into `the stock, and inasmuch as at the cutting run of the saw the tendency .is to force the saw upward, while at its free and return morement the weight of the blade would naturally cause the latter to gravitate, and inasmuch, furthermore, asthe blade or band cannot consistently be supported from below on account of the teeth on the blade-edge tending to cut into the support, I deem it desirable to provide in the band a series of equi-distant apertures or perforations adapted to receive projections or pins on the supporting wheels, which latter can also serve as devlces for advancing the band, at the same time.

Referring to the drawings, 10 denotes the bed plate of the machine supported on legs 11, 12, and having at one end a fixed abutment 13 against which the stock to be cut. and herein indicated as an I-beam S, may be placed and securely held by a movable clamp-jaw 14 which is guided on ways 15 of the'bed 10, and carries a guided on a at. which end it has a crank 20 for manipula! tion, endwise movement of the rod being prevented by a collar-21 secured thereto.'

The I-beani S, as shown, is substantially the largest work which the present machine vis capable of operating upon, and it is evident that any work of less dimensions can' be readily placed and held between the jawn 13 and 14.

Secured to the right hand end of the bed 10, is a stand 25 which is bifurcated at its top (see Fig. 3), to form a pair of bearings 26, 27. for a shaft 28 which constitute's the power-driven element of the machine and has a pulley-29, driven by a. belt 30 from a counter-shaft overhead. The shaft 28 has-a worin 31 in en ageinentwith a Worm gear 32 ou a vertica ly-dispo'sed shaft 33, which latter is journaled in a bearing 34` forming a part of the tiltable saw-supporting frame which in its preferred form comprises a chambered head casing 35 adapted to receive a quantity of oil for maintaining the worm and worm gear yin constantly-lubricated condition, and the open top may be closed by a cover 36, as shown in lligs. 2 and 3. The saw-supporting frame c' nprises also a pair of parallel rods 37, 38, r idly secured to the head casing 35 and unit( l at their other ends by a yoke 39 having a handle 40 whereby the frame, as a whole, may be swung upward around the aXis of the worm shaft 28 on which it is pivoted by virtue of a pair of bearing-lugs 41, 42 '(see Fig. 1) formed` on the casing 35, so that, therefore, the tilting movement of the frame as indicated by dotted lines in F 2, will not disarrange the operative connection existing' between the worm 31 and gear 32. The saw-blade employed in the present case, consists of an y endless band s, having the saw teeth at its lower edge and guided in its travel in such a way that the stock held betweenv the fjaws will be cut on a. line substantially at right angles with the running length of the stock,

the guiding devices being disposed at certain f points on what ma be termed a guard I which consists pre erably of a curved and comparatively stili' metal strap or band v45 rigidly secured-at its ends to the casing 35, and the yoke 39, respectively (see lFigs'l and 5). In the present instance there are six guiding devices shown, some of which are idlersfor freely guiding the saw-band to .form a loose-loop return; while others are Y positively driven to propel the saw blade along and maintain the same in proper running travel so as to be clearof the gua-rd band.

In View of the fact that the saw is intended'to cut the stock only at one partielllar place, it is, of course, obvious that the blade mustI be guided, after it leaves the stock,

so that its returning portion will not en' gage or drag over the stock no matter to how low a position the cutting portion of the, saw

may have eaten its way 1nto the work,` even to theextent of having cut the latter entirely olf. Hence the rea-r portion of the guard plate is disposed so asto guide the saw-band across the work at a level above the same, as shown-in Figs. 2 and 3 vwhile -at the same time care. is taken to maintain the saw blade in a vertical position, cross-sectionally, and at aright angle with the work and also with the ax-is ofthe shaft 28 on which the sawJ frame is pivoted as above mentioned. 'Taking the plane of the stock-support as a basis, the active portion of the `saw-band in running nearer thereto than the idle return portion of the saw, so that, relatively to the vertical feed movement, the idle portion of the saw will run -rearwardly of its active portion, in fact, to such an extent, that, even when the active portion has descended below the level of the stock-support, the teeth of port.v y

Referring'to Fig. 1, the guard strap 45 carries a series of saw guides, indicated in a general way by z', each of which consists preferably of a pair of rollers 45, 46, journaled on studs 47, 48, of a yoke 49 which is provided with a footlate 50 secured to the guard, the saw* bla e passing between said rollers and bein thus distanced in its travel relatively to the guard 45. The saw is also guided at d b a pairof coperative rollers 51, 52, (see 3') which at the same time serve as drivers to maintainthe saw band at proper speed on its inactive or return traveling portion thereof. Of these, the roller 51 is rotatively mounted on a stud 53 carried by, a yoke 54 which is secured to the guard 45 and has also a fixed stud 55 for supporting the r'oller 52, the latter constit uting the saw-drivin and supporting element and being provided l with peripheral pins 56 adapted to enter a series of equi-distantly disposed aperturesa (see Fig. 2) of the 'sawband s, the idleroller 51,being provided with a circumferential groove 57 to clear the va pinion 64 in engagement with a bevel gear 65 rotatively connected with# the driving roller 52. g Secured to the lower end of the wormear spindle 33, Iis a saw-driving roller 66 aving vpms .67 adaptedto enter the aperf the idle portion 'are'still clear ofsaid su'pi j basses tures a of the saw-band s and coperative 4with a grooved idle Iroller 68 which is mounted for rotation on a stud 69` held on a slide-block 70 movable on the underside of the casing 35 and adapted to be adjusted (to grip the saw blade) by a bolt 70',

'the entire organization being such as to rotate the rollers 66 and 52 at the same circumferential speed, it being understood, however, that the greater portion of the work in driving the saw is performed by the roller 66 where the saw blade is pulled vacross the stock to be cut, and which, furthermore, has to overcome a certain amount of drag which is applied to said band `just before its teeth engage the stock to be cut for the purpose of rendering the blade taut in its cutting `operation and thus produce a straight line cut. In the-drawings this brake or drag-mechanism is illustrated at b (see Figs.

1 and 5) and it consists of a pin-roller 71 cooperative with an idler 72 and secured to the lower end of a sleeve 7 3Vwhich carries at its upper end a drum 74, which is partially surrounded by a brake-belt 75, one end of which is fixed on a post-stud 76 while its other and loose end is tightened by a bolt 76 and draw-nut 77.

From the foregoing it will lbe understood that the roller 71l is rotated by the movement of the lsaw-band so that the brake-belt-.

will become effective in tightening the same between the roller 71 and the driver 66, between which points said band will also be guided so as to be vertical relative to the stock supporting surface of the bed 10.

Inasmuch as the saw-supporting frame is pivotally supported at one end, viz 1: on the worm-shaft 28, to permit its being swung upward bodily to bring the saw band clear of the stock, means are'provided for retain-- ing the frame in its upwardly tilted condition to enable the operator to advance the stock for a new cut, or to insert new stock into the machine. These means are herein shown as a rod 80 (see Figs. 2 and 4) pivoted at its upper end on a lug 8l which projects from the rear of the casing 35, and passing through the eye of a clamping bolt 82 adapted to be pulled inwardly by a hand nut 83 to impinge said rod against a clamping face 84 on the bed understood that the bolt is rotatably held to accommodate itself to the position of the rod 80. When the hand-nut 83 is loose the weight of the frame will naturally cause the same to gravitate and bring the saw into engagement with the stock, and inasmuch as the resent machine is adapted to cut metals of different qualities, means are provided for feeding the saw into the stock under different pressures commensurate with the quality of the stock, the means consisting' plate 10, it being` o ject'from either side thereon and thus bring the weight into properly adjusted position either to add to the Weight, per se, of the frame, or to counterbalance the same to a more orless extent as occasion may require. The present machine also comprises what may be termed an attachment, whereby the saw band may be guided relatively to the stock so as to avoid an excess of non-guided run of the saw between the driving and brake-rolls 66, 71, respectively, when the stock is of less lateral dimensions, and the movable jaw 14 is, therefore, nearer the stationary jaw 13 than is vshown in the draw` ings. In other Words: I desire to bring the guiding devices of the saw as near to the stock as possible, especially at the vertical point of the engagement between the saw and the stockv to minimize any tendency of commencing the cut at a wrong point. This attachment is herein shown as a shiftable yoke 90, (see section in Fig. 7, and also dot and dash lines in Fig. 2), embracing the frame rods 37, 38, and terminating atits lower end in 'a pair of coacting rollers 91, 92, between which the saw band is properly guided, as will be readily understood, a' clamp screw 93 serving to hold the yoke 90 in its adjusted position on the rods.

Means are provided for automatically arresting the operation of the saw as soon as the stock has been cut off, these means consisting preferably of mechanism comprising al lever which is actuated by the sudden drop 'of the saw frame (after the saw-band has performed its work)l for a short distanceV below the top of the machine-bed, and which may be connected with the clutch or shipper-v device on the countershaft from which the pulley 29 derives its motion through the belt 30.

The mechanism is clearly shown in Figs. l, 5 and 6, and comprises a longitudinallymovable rod` 95 slidable in the sleeve 73 above referred to and adapted to engage with its lower end the top face of an adjustable'stop 96 of an abutment 96 secured to 115v the bed 10, so that when the frame drops, the rod 95 will remain stationary during the drop-movement of the frame which is provided-with an ear 97 on which a lever 98 is fulcrumed, this lever being connected at t one end with the rod 95, and at its other end with a cord 98 whereby the clutch or shipper of the countershaft (not shown) may be operated to stop the power-drive,

which action is thus performed. in an aut'o- 125 matic manner.

Many changes may be made in the construction and organization of the several elements of my improved machine without departing-from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A sawing machine comprising. an endless saw-band, means for guiding the Work ing portion thereof in a predetermined plane, means for freely guiding theidle portion of saidband so as to form a loose-loop return, and means for driving said band.

2. A sawing machine comprising an endless saw-band, means for guiding the working portion thereof in a predetermined plane, means for freely guiding the idle portion of said band so as to form a loose-loop ret-urn and comprising a series of separated tangent-contact supports each of which engages said band at a point only, and means for driving said band.

3. A sawing machine comprising an endless saw-band, means for guiding the active portion thereof in a predetermined plane, and means for freely guiding the idle portion of said `band to form a loose-loop return running rearwardly of the active portion thereof relat-ively to the line of feed movement.

4. Asawing machine comprising an 'endless saw-band, means for guiding 'the active portion thereof in a predetermined plane, means for freely guiding theidle portion of said band so as to form a loose-loop return, means for driving the active portion of said band, and an auxiliary driving mechanism for advancing the idle portion of said band at a point remote from said first driving means. l

5. The combination, with a stock support, a tiltable frame extending across the same,

`a saw-band carried by the frame, of a pair of rollers carried by the frame and in tangential engagement vwith said saw-band,l

means for driving said rollers in acontinuously-advancmg direction, said means comprising a worm gear and a worm coperative therewith, and a shaft for operatingrv said worm and extending through said frame and serving asa pivot axis therefor.

6. The combination, with a stock-support, a saw-supporting frame extending laterally thereof, a saw-band mounted for movement on said frame, and means for freely guiding said band on the frame to form a loose-loop return, of means for driving said saw-band in a continuously-advancing direction, and means for tensioning the portion of said saw -band which is in cutting operation across the stock on the support.

7., The combination, with a stock-support, a saw supporting frame extending llaterally thereof, a saw-band mounted for movement on said frame, and means for freelyguiding said band on the frame to form a looseloop return, of means for driving said lsawvband in a continuously-advancing direction, a pair of rollers carried by the frame' and tangentially engaging saidv saw-band before the latter engages the stock'on the support,

and a brake mechanism applied to one of said rollers and for tensioning the .active portion of the band.

8. The combination, with a stock-support, a saw supporting frame extending laterally thereof, a saw-band mounted for movement on said frame, and means for freely guiding said band on the frame to form a loose-loop return, of means for driving said saw-band in a continuously-admncing direction, a pair of rollers carried by the frame and engaging said saw-band before the latter engages the stock on the support, a brake drum operated by the movement of one of said rollers, and a band in engagement with said drum and for tensioning that portion of the saw which runs across the stock.

' 9. The combination, with a stock-support, a saw-supporting frame extending laterally the1'eof, an endless saw-band for movement on said frame, and means for driving said band in a continuously-advancing direction, said means comprising a pin roller and an idle roller cooperative therewith; of means for tensioning said saw in its run across the. stock, said means comprising a pin roller in engagement with said saw and an idle roller coperative therewith; and a brake band and drum connected with said pin roller.

10. The combination, y with a stock-sup- ,port, a saw-supporting frame extending laterally thereof and comprising a curved strap carried thereby, a saw-bandk mounted for movement on said frame, and means on saidv strap for guiding the idle portion of said band to form a loose-loop return, of a main driver for the act-ive portion of the saw, and an auxiliary driver-for the loose-loop return portion thereof.

11. The combination, with a stock-sup` port, a saw-supporting frame extending across .the same and consisting of a pair of parallel rods, and a saw-band mounted for movement on said frame, of means for driving said saw in a continuously-advancing direct-ion, means for tensioning said saw in its run across the stock, means for guiding said saw to form a loose-loop return, and a yoke supported on said rods and adjustable thereon for guiding said saw in its active run relative to -the driving mechanism.

12. The combination, with a stockssupport, and a saw-supporting frame' extending across the vsame and consisting of a pair of in a continuousljfadvancing direction, means for guiding said saw to form a loose-loop return, means for tensioningsaid. saw i'n its run across the stock, a yoke supported on said rods and. adjustable.thereonrelatively to the driving means, anda pair of rollers hcarried by, said yoke for guiding said sawl I at a `point between said tensioning means for the driving mechanism.

13. 'In a saw machine, a stationary work parallel rods, ofmeans for drivinglsaid saw.Y

support, an endless bund-saw having its Working portion movable to cross the support in a straight line, means for 'guiding the working portion of thebnnd in a plane perpendicular to such'support, the idle'portions of the saw bein continued from such Straight and perpendicularly disposed portion to form a loose-loop return, which is farther remote and offset from the plane of the support than the active portion of the Saw so as to clear the Work on the Work support, supporting and guiding means for the saw movable for a working feed of the latter in a direct-ion transversely of the support, and means for driving the band-saw continuously in the same direction.

Signed by me at Springfield, Mass., in presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES N APIER. Vitnesses:

G. R. DRISCOLL, C. V. WOOLSEY. 

